1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to sports equipment, and more particularly to basketball backboards.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
The game of basketball is universally known and played. Persons of all ages and abilities enjoy the challenge of shooting basketballs through an elevated hoop.
Basketball games are invariably played in a lighted environment. That is necessarily the case, because a person must be able to see the hoop in order to hit it with a ball. Consequently, a lighted court, whether indoors or outdoors, is required for games played after dark. Because of the widespread availability of lighted courts, the same hoops and backboards can be used whether the courts are indoors or outdoors and whether the hoops and backboards are used during the day or after dark. As a result, players and spectators usually pay no attention to the hoops and backboards other than to recognize their existence.
However, a few efforts have been made recently to focus attention on basketball hoops and backboards. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,787 describes an illuminated basketball rim and backboard. Illumination of the rim and backboard may be continuous, or it may be actuated by a switch that operates only in response to a ball striking a selected portion of the backboard.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,787 discloses a particular construction of an illuminated backboard and hoop, but other designs and further developments are possible.